Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-11
Record for the Week OF the DoiRgs
OF the Lawmakers OF
the State.
Bills Passed and Bills PrOpos ed-Work
Good, Bad and Indifterent-SOtes,
Gossip and Chatter.

| from the COurier-J Journal OF Louisville,
! KY, for S298 for the benefit of the drOuth
/ sufferers of Texas. The letter also states
/ that, in addition to the check aforesaid,
! $50 worth of seed has been shipped to
! thesGovernor's address. OF this amount
! the Courier-JOurnal contributed 500.
! RECOMMENDS THE GAZETTE.
At the evening session Of the House
/ Nh. Bell OF Denton offered the following
resolution:
Whereas, the press is the most potential
agent known TO the present ege in
moulding public opinion and the conse-
quent educator Of the people, and
Whereas, it is essential to the virtue Of
! the people that the press be virtuous,
and
Whereas, the correctness Of public
opinion depends largely upon the varacity
of the newspaper correspondents; there
fore, be it
| Resolved, that this House commend the
| Fort Worth GAZETTE to the reading pub
| lie for its manly vindication Of the House
relative to the expulsion of the cOrrespOn-
dent of the San Antonio Express, pub
lished in its issue of March 2.
The action of the House on this resolu-
! ton will be seen in the routine report.
Mr.. Bell of Denton withdrew this res
OlutiOn after the House had Endorsed
it rather than 60 into a controversy with
the few who opposed it on the ground
that it was advertising a newspaper.
CHANGE IN THE ROAD LAW.
1t is understood that Senator Glass
cock is working on bill that proposes
radical changes in the road law. Many
Of the old obnoxious features are to be
eliminated, and just provisions inCorpO-
rated prOportiOnate with the benefits that
the citizen derives.
THE SCHOOL BILL.
Special to the Gazette
AUSTIN, TEX, March THE substi-
tute House bill No. l to establish and
maintain system of public free schools
In the state and to repeal so much Of
chapter 3, of title IS OF the Revised Stat
utes referring to public schools outside
of Incorporated cities and towns assum-
ing control of their public free schools,
was under consideration in the House
this morning. and was the subject of
much animated discussion. The super
, intendent feature of the bill leaving it OPP
tional with commissioners to create such
office met with some opposition and sew
eral amendments to this section were
offered and voted down. An amendment
to add section to the bill leaving it with
the people through their trustees to petit
ton the County Commissioners court
who shall have the power to exempt their
county from the district system, after
prolonged discussion was lost, and the
bill engrOsSed. This substitute school
bill differs very little from the old law,
except the provision relating to the Crea-
ton of the Office of county superintend-
entS of the public schools to perform the
duties now incumbent upon the county
| Judges. This Office is to be filed
at each general election by the election of
some person of educational sttalnments,
good moral character and executive abil-
ity, qualified voter of his county and
the holder of first grade teachers Ger
tifcate, to hold his Office for two years.
AS the bill contains emergency clauses,
and will 90 inc effect from anu after its
passage, it provides for the appointment
by the Commissioners court of person
possessing the necessary qualifications to
the Office until the next general election.
WATERED STOCK OF RAILROADS.
A bill to require the Comptroller
to furnish county boards of equal
ization the status of railroads
in their counties so that the watered
stocks can be made to pay taxes, and
also to prevent capitalization, came up
for engrossment. In discussing the fea-
ture OF the bill relating to the Watered
stocks, those advocating its passage
claimed that the railroads in tue state
based their earnings on the amount of
capital stock represented by the amount
as increased by the watered stocks, but
when they rendered their property for
taxation they based its value upon the &C
tuaI cost of construction and not upon
the increased values represented by
The number Of shares at their
face value. Upon the information
furnished by the Comptroller, which shall
include the amount of their mOrtgaged
bonds, amount Of Indebtedness and in
creased value by watered stock, as a ba-
sis OF information the boards of equaliza-
ton, it is thought, will be able to fix the
value of railroad property within their
counties. The supporters of the bill say
that heretofore the railroads have been
paying taxes on about one-third to one
half of the values rated in the markets !
and stock exchanges; tnat the Commits |
siOners' courts have been forced to de- |
pend upon the companies themselves for /
such values IS they desired to furnish for !
taxation, leaving the Commissioners with |
out any data to guide them.
THE REFORMATuRY BILL.
The Senate was wrestling with the re-
formatory bill during the evening session. /
The bone of contention seemed to be the
yearly salary of the superintendent OF the
restitution. The salary as regulated by
the bill cannot be less than $1,000, but on
the ground Of economy some of the Sen
ators seemed TO think that suitable man
could be mad to I'LL the position at $500,
setting forth the qualifications necessary
for the position to be similar to that of over
seer before the war. Those opposing the
reduction claimed that as the object of the
Institution was to elevate and reform the
youthful criminal, it would necessarily re-
Iuire man above the ordinary qualitiCa-
ions of an Overseer. Though several
were offered, none were {
adopted, and the salary was not changed
rom The figures adnpted by the commit /
zee. Among the an .ndmentS offered to
he bill was one to include all women,
without consideration of age, convicted {
If felony for term of five years, but after l
brief discussion the amendment was al (
most unanimously voted down. After
eVeral minor amendments were adopted, !
ne bill passed to engrossment. IS
PECOS VALLEY INRRIGATION BILL 8
Mr.. George A. knight of PeCos City is {
ere in the interest of the people of the
'ecos valley, to urge the passage of the I
i'll withdrawing one-haIf the state school {
lnds from sale or lease, situated within I
We miles of the Pecos river, on either
ide, to be reserved for sale to the Pecos +
liver Irrigation Company, who nronose